High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) refers to an industry-supported digital connection standard interface designed to provide the highest level of uncompressed video and audio quality over a thin, easy-to-use cable with a simple, consumer-friendly connector. HDMI facilitates the highest level of video and audio quality, while employing a single thin cable, for an entertainment experience that is unmatched. For example, HDMI can carry video signals of resolutions up to and/or beyond 1080p in full-color at full 60 Hz and higher refresh rates. HDMI employs a single cable to serve as an interface between any number of audio/video sources, such as a set-top box, a Digital Video Disk or Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) player, an audio/video (A/V) receiver, an A/V monitor (e.g., digital television (DTV)).
Although HDMI is an industry standard and was created with forward-looking specification, the fast and continues growth of technology and technology-related devices makes it apparent that HDMI and/or any media devices, cables, and other elements in a network using HDMI would have to be updated, enhanced, and/or enabled such that the compatibility of the various components of the network is preserved for data transmission, while users can continue to receive and enjoy the benefits of HDMI.
For example, FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional HDMI communication network 100. Network 100 includes three devices that include a cellular telephone 102, a computer or server 104 (e.g., personal computer (PC)), and a high-definition television (HDTV) 106 in communication with each other. As illustrated, an HDMI-based communication 108 is setup between the computer 104 and the HDTV 106, but a conventional Universal Serial Bus (USB)-based communication 110 is established between the cell phone 102 and the computer 104. Today's cell phones 102 are used not only for verbal communication, but also for uploading, downloading, watching a variety of premium media, such as photos, movies, etc. However, using conventional techniques, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, to view premium media contents (e.g., pictures, movies) on the HDTV 106, first a download of such contents to the computer 104 is needed to be performed via the USB link 110 and then the computer 104 is used to send the contents to the high-definition television (HDTV) 106 via the HDMI link 108. Stated differently, today's conventional techniques do not allow for many of the important media devices (e.g., cell phone 102) to engage in a direct HDMI-based communication with other HD-compatible devices (e.g., HDTV 106).
FIG. 1B illustrates a conventional HDMI path 150. Transmitter side 174 is composed of HDMI logic 152, an encoder 154, and a serializer, while receiver side 178 is composed of a deserializer, a decoder 156, and HDMI logic 172. In this conventional HDMI path 150, HDMI logic 152 generates HDMI packets for each channel 160, 162, 164 that is encoded by the encoder 154 and then transmitted using a serializer. Encoding is performed separately by the encoder 154 for each of the channel 160, 162, 164. The encoder 154 keep running disparity and distance property for a proper data transfer thru the serial differential channels 160, 162, 164. An HDMI receiver 178 receives the serial data, de-serializes it, and decodes using a decoder 156. The decoder 156 generates audio data, video data, synchronization (SYNC) signals (e.g., Horizontal Synchronization (HSYNC), Vertical Synchronization (VSYNC), CTLS), and DE signal for HDMI logic 172. This decoding is performed separately for each channel 160, 164, 166 since the decoder 156 needs to keep the last value of SYNC signals when audio/video data arrives. For example, HSYNC refers to a signal given to a monitor telling it to stop drawing the current horizontal line, and start drawing the next line. The amount of time this takes to occur is measured in Hertz (Hz), which refers to cycles per second. VSYNC refers to a signal used to describe a process or a set of values telling the monitor when to draw the next frame. The time it takes for this to occur is also measured in Hertz.